MIL turned all my washing inside out!

[JanS17]

We are on holiday at the moment with DH’s family (me, DH, DD, MIL, SIL, BIL, and dog).

Yesterday I did a load of washing (mix of mine, DH, and DD) and before we went out for lunch, I hung it all up nicely on the clothes rack and put it out in the sun to dry.

When we got back from lunch, MIL said she had moved a few things around to help them dry faster. I was a bit confused as the clothes were hung up as I wanted them to begin with but shrugged and said ok.

Yesterday evening I brought the rack of clothes inside and found that she has turned every single item of clothing (except socks - thank goodness!!) inside out!!

I am equally confused and pissed off. Why would she see my nicely hung out washing, and think to herself that it’s a good idea to remove every single piece of clothing, turn it inside out, and put it back?? Why was she even touching my washing in the first place???

The clothes are now all creased where she’s hung them crooked, and I have an extra chore of turning them all back the right way round again.

AIBU??

YABU - she was just trying to help (??)
YANBU - what was she thinking??

Dramatic much.

MIL could have left it alone. No one asked for her help and if it was so bothersome to her, she could have asked OP. Simple communication instead of doing what you want with someone’s things because how the way you do it isn’t the way you like it.

My MIL and my own mum asks DH and I beforehand about different things and accept the answer we give them because they understand that it’s not their things to change or move because both know they wouldn’t really like it if we did the same to their things without asking.

*what you want with someone’s things because how the way they do it isn’t the way you like it.

Lol.
My mil is wonderful but she does batty things like this which overall don't help me but she's trying to show she cares.
Getting annoyed about it is pointless. She didn't spend that time just to wind you up.
Just say thanks but I prefer it my way.

If you have a poor relationship then this will be more annoying because of other issues. In a good relationship this is not worth stressing over.

You sound a bit of a brat tbh. It's not a big deal.

What an odd post, are you quite alright?

Do what? Hang their clothes inside out? Or rearrange other people's washing? Which is what the OP is about. And which is also odd.

@NeonSoda - that was my question too. No response thus far :)

I’m pretty sure you can find much better things to worry about, OP. She touched your washing, so what.

Don’t be daft. It’s her family. Not like a stranger wandered in her garden and started rearranging her washing.

Some people really enjoy being offended, don’t they. It’s like a hobby.

Ffs isn't this something u would just moan to a pal about? Taking it to MN is a bit over dramatic lol

Are you new to AIBU?

Many posts are the things you would moan about to a pal.

Think there is a difference between just touching someone’s laundry and touching someone’s laundry, unpegging it, turning it inside out and pegging it back up because you don’t like the way they’ve done their own laundry.

It would annoy me too! My mum often tries to ‘help’ like this,like I’m doing something with the kids, she brings in washing she says feels dry, of course it’s not so I have to go hang it all back out again… I’m sure I’ll annoy my kids when I’m old and trying to ‘help’ though!

My mother recently took all the dirty laundry out of my basket, folded some, put some on hangers, in drawers- it was all dirty, waiting to be washed!

Wow I'm 50 and I never knew this 😬

I disagree. Her not turning clothes inside out isn't proof that she doesn't know how to run a home. This thread is proof that there are different approaches to this element of laundering clothes. The OP is not wrong, she just does things in a different way to her MIL. So her MIL going out of her way to change the clothes around to fit her system is overstepping and imposing. Not the end of the world but irritating for the OP.

@JanS17 does your DH turn clothes inside out when doing the laundry?

I'm from a textiles background and generally turn most things inside out before putting them through the wash. Many detergents will fade colours and you can get tide marks appear, particularly on denim. Plus if you use a washing line, the sun also bleaches. I suspect she felt she was helping.

My grandma used to do that also to prevent dust from settling on clean clothes.
The seams are thicker so likely why she felt they would dry faster.
I think she was just trying to help.

Sounds like you’re all just getting on each others tits in close quarters.

Id shrug it off and move on.

I wouldn’t give it another thought to be honest. Put them away inside out, turn them round as you use them.

I often turn mine inside out to lessen fading on the line, the care labels often advise this.

It prevents bleaching and marks on the clothes. Also sometimes clothes dry on the outside but are still damp on the inside so this helps them dry completely. Although she didn't hang them neatly, she's definitely done you a favour!

Oh do have some bloody grace - 👍🏿☘️ Also I iron dark clothes inside out esp linen 👍🏿

Well you have taught me something new I didn’t know to hang things inside out.

To be honest, "Just touching someone's laundry" sounds potentially much weirder to me than rearranging a family member's drying laundry while on holiday, possibly in a country where the sun is much stronger than it is in England, and where the consequences of not doing that could be badly bleached clothes!